Posts by gingerbread

19

How exactly is the Holy Spirit 'directing' the WT?

by keyser soze in

it seems pretty impotent to me if it is.. let's assume, for the sake of argument, that they are merely 'spirit-directed', as opposed to 'inspired'.

and let's assume that there is even a difference(other than semantics) to begin with.

neither claim is validated by the end result.

gingerbread

This one is the squishy mystery for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Most faithful JW's see the 'anointed' and in particular the Governing Body as angels in human form. They were chosen by God and are being 'used' by Holy Spirit.

We earthlings can't understand how God chooses and anoints (with Holy Spirit) these people. We can't understand how God uses his Holy Spirit to direct them what to write or what rules/policies to create.

It's a mystery. Just accept it.

"And now, brothers, please pass the contribution box around."

ginger

44

Jehovahs Witnesses make a big deal about following first century christianity, so please explain this.

by smiddy in

where in the christian greek scriptures do disciples of christ record how many hours a month they preached.. " " " " 10 hours for women and children and slack husbands with no ambition.

" " " " do they record how many back calls / return visits they made in a month.. " " " " have they set down how many bible studys they had in a month.. " " " " do they have pioneers ,special pioneers , aux.pioneers , with goals to reach each month.. " " " " do they have d.o.

, c.o., zone servants , etc.etc.. " " " " where in the christian greek scriptures is the word " organisation" applied to christianity.

gingerbread

My better half now says "If you're a Jehovah's Witness you can't be a Christian. What a screwed up mess we were raised in..."

ginger

16

New Light - Good for goose... gander SOL

by Zoos in

when jws accept new light they must, by default, accept that what they were teaching was false.

they allow themselves the luxury of error so long as it is in the pursuit of better understanding.. .

you would think this scenario demands that allowance be made for other religions with false teachings, but alas, no.

gingerbread

Last year we heard a brother giving a public talk in the KH say - "We must wash our brains clean of the former thought and embrace the correct 'New Light' from Jehovah's faithful and discreet slave."

ginger

84

What Bomb Will Be Dropped at This Years District Convention?

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

our insightful posters on this site were able to predict the new "spirit directed" generation teachings and fds teaching even years in advance.

what bomb do you thing will be dropped this year?

i know it will be big.

gingerbread

The Watchtower and Awake magazines will no longer be printed in favor of handing out pamphlets and DVD's, i pad witnessing and JW.org.

Witnessing in public (carts and tables) will now be favored over door-to-door witnessing. "Please send your gas money for the World Wide Work."

'Sisters' will now be given titled responsiblities in the congregation - as readers, microphone handlers, literature/magazine/territory assistants, Kingdom Hall care leaders.

ginger

11

Higher Education

by thedog1 in

my wife told me today that during a conversation with a relative on the phone recently, the relative said that someone in their congregation had been invited to take part in a branch extension in a foreign country.

this young woman who had been asked to take part is a solid witness, though not a pioneer, but guess what?

she is an architect!

gingerbread

The Watchtower Society has sent (and paid for) men to become lawyers...in exchange for future pro bono representation.

We know of a brother in Texas who is a dentist. He used to make annual trips to Brooklyn to work on the GB and other men in position.

Don't fool yourself. The GB will recruit (into their inner circle) Witnesses with money, education and specialized professions.

ginger

13

Where Is All The Money Going from Sales of WTB&TS `s Real Estate Properties.

by smiddy in

what governmental requirements are their for full disclosure of the proceeds from sales of property made by a not for profit organization such as the wtb&ts.. how does the wtb&ts explain their charitable status when they do not provide any charitable benefits to anyone , when all their members , jehovahs witnesses are not employed by them , they are just volunteers.. does american law allow religous institutions to hide monetary transactions or is their full transparency regarding their use of their money.. how can a multi million $ publishing company , engaged in a multi million $ real estate organisation be considered as a not for profit organisation .. is their anything like an auditor general in the usa that needs to investigate these things ?.

just asking.. smiddy.

gingerbread

Religious organizations in the US have a unique status regarding financial transparency. The Federal Government has checks in place to stay out of the religion business.

These laws were a primary reason that, after Charles Russell passed away, J.F. Rutherford turned the Bible Student movement into the new religion called Jehovah's Witnesses. Maintaining a religious status with governments keeps an organization tax free and protected.

Only in solid cases of embezzlement within a religious organization will a District Attorney press charges.

'Managing' funds and assests is not embezzlement - no matter how large the religious organization.

ginger

25

Once Again: It's Okay for JWs to Rip-Off Non-JWs

by Iown Mylife in

jw
friends

today i heard from the owner of a small restaurant, the story of how a brother in a local congregation ripped him off for thousands.

the restaurant owner is not a jw but totally familiar with the cult, as his mother is a long-time baptized sister.

she asked him to hire this wonderful brother from her congregation to do construction work he needed at his house.

gingerbread

I learned many years ago not to hire a JW or work for a JW.

It's not worth the risk - most times YOU get the shaft.

ginger

33

Baptisms only at regional ( district ) assemblies from 2014 / 15 service year?

by dozy in

jw
friends

just a rumour but i guess it makes sense - i've a friend on a circuit committee ( he knows it's not "the truth" but for family & work reasons he stays in ) & he says that the wtbts have told them not to book a swimming pool for next years one day assemblies as the plan is to have only one baptism a year at the main regional ( what they used to call "district" ) convention.. with the drop off in baptisms so that sometimes there isn't anyone baptised or just a handful , i guess this is inevitable.

i remember going to a baptism a few years ago - we had hired a municipal 25 metre swimming pool and only one person ( a rather confused and scared middle aged lady who hadn't been in a swimming pool since her youth ) was being baptised - it was all something of a farce with the "worldly" staff looking on very puzzled at such an elaborate & expensive ceremony for one person.

) also with both assemblies being one day with just short morning & afternoon sessions , i suppose it is sensible to ditch the baptism talk - it tends to be something of a snoozefest anyway at the end of the morning session.

gingerbread

If this is true I would bet the the WT will come up with a new title for anyone set to get baptized at the Convention. You know...like we now have "Unbaptised Publisher."

Perhaps :

- "Baptismal Candidate"

- "Dedicated Publisher"

- "Minister in Waiting"

- "Minister in Training"

- "Baptismal Apprentice"

- "Whole Souled Publisher"

ginger

72

CO's & DO's age 70+ to be laid off on 9/1/14

by williamhconley in

jw
friends

in a private conversation with a c.o.

friend from north carolina, he told me yesterday that they just got a letter that all traveling overseers (do's & co's) age 70 & up are going to be laid off on 09/01/2014.

they will be asssigned to local congregations and further details are pending.. .

gingerbread

I'm seeing (and hearing from other parts of the US) a younger crop of Circuit Overseers too.

Getting rid of the older CO's also gets rid of a part of JW history that is still fresh in their memory - failed 1975 prediction, the generation that "will not pass away", WT's involvement as a NGO with the United Nations .... and the days when the CO could give talks specific to each congregation or make decisions on his own without the heavy handed control of Headquarters.

ginger

22

The Annual Meeting Quote

by confusedandalone in

jw
friends

someone told me today that at the annual meeting something was said along the lines that, we do not need to be like the boreans and search that everything is true because we know we have the truth.

can anyone confirm this?.

gingerbread

I don't have the quote. But this same thought is expressed in the publications - that the Boreans, before they became Christians, examined the scriptures thoughly as proof. After they were baptised, according to the WT, they no longer had the desire to research or question their new religious faith.

ginger